Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Daddy's Girl


I planned it this way, but I plan a lot of things that don't work out quite the way I want them to. 

Since Anna Rose was born, I've envisioned her growing up a certain way. For instance, I think it was day three that I brought up the idea of hiking the Appalachian Trail with me one day. 

I've introduced her to sports. So far, it's been hit or miss. I've had better luck getting her to like things like bugs and worms and dirt. 

So far, I've weathered a pretty lengthy "princess phase",  done my share of tea parties, and dressed her only in pink. And I've loved her, adored her actually, through it all. 

But deep down I long for her to love the things I love. Things like sports and the outdoors and Jesus and fishing. 

Last weekend, we focused on the last one. On Wednesday, we headed to the store and picked out a brand new rod just for her. I picked up a pack of bobbers, some new hooks and we headed to the playset in the backyard for a lesson. 

Lessons usually turn into conflicts. But for some reason, she treated me like the Yogi of fishing (which I'm not. I didn't tell her though.) To my surprise, she got the hang of it so fast we tried out casting. To my even greater surprise, she whipped it into the grass like a pro. 

The next day we dug for worms, headed for the mountains and set up camp with the wind at our backs. I admit I prayed for her to catch a fish. It was about the most selfless prayer I ever prayed. And some time later, my prayers were answered. 

Anna Rose did the whole thing. She put the worm on the hook, cast the line, caught the fish, and reeled it in! I did the de-hooking because I insisted. 

It was about the happiest moment I've had as a dad. 



The experience has got me thinking about my Heavenly Daddy. I realized that just like me, he longs for his children to love what he loves. The Bible says it pleases him. What the Bible means is that it makes him crazy happy. It's like what Anna Rose did to me when she held that fish in her hands, when she told me the next day that this was her favorite place in all the world.

...that my girl loves to fish! And whether she knows it or not, she's made her old man crazy happy.


 

2 comments:

BearBear said...

heart=melted! Great post. Being a mom teaches me a lot about how God loves us so much when I think of how my heart swells for my boys. My oldest is now 6. can't wait to go fishing this summer!

P.s I have read your blog a while now and just wanted to finally say hello from CO! I would like to read your book this summer, I enjoy your writing.

Ned Erickson said...

Thanks! I love Colorado. The only place I ever lived that felt like home.